Capitola, California Public Records

The Capitola Police Department, located at City Hall, serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the city. The department's website at https://www.cityofcapitola.org/police provides information about their services, community programs, and contact details. Residents can also access the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Inmate Locator at https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/ciris/ to search for individuals who may be incarcerated. Additionally, the California Department of Justice's Megan's Law website at https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/ offers a sex offender registry for the Capitola area.

Capitola voters are served by the Santa Cruz County Clerk-Elections Department, located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 210, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (phone: 831-454-2060, website: www.votescount.us). This office administers all federal, state, county, and municipal elections for Capitola residents, including voter registration, ballot processing, precinct operations, and official canvassing of results. Office hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with extended hours before elections.

Capitola residents can register to vote online through the California Secretary of State at registertovote.ca.gov, which allows eligible citizens to complete registration electronically using a California driver's license or ID card number. The registration deadline is 15 days before any election for traditional registration; California also offers conditional voter registration available through Election Day at vote centers and county elections offices. New residents must provide their California address, date of birth, and last four digits of Social Security number. California allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register, with registration becoming active when they turn 18.

Capitola, as an incorporated city, holds municipal elections for City Council and Mayor. The City Council consists of five members elected at-large to four-year staggered terms. The Mayor is selected by the City Council from among its members. City Council elections are held in November of even-numbered years, consolidated with statewide general elections. The next Capitola City Council election will be held in November 2026, with two or three council seats on the ballot depending on the rotation. Local ballot measures specific to Capitola (such as sales tax increases, bond measures, or ordinance amendments) may also appear. Candidate information, campaign statements, and local measure details are available through the County Elections website and the City of Capitola website at www.cityofcapitola.org.

Capitola voters can find their assigned polling place or vote center location by using the polling place lookup tool at www.votescount.us or by calling the County Elections office. California has transitioned to a vote center model in many counties, allowing voters to cast ballots at any vote center in the county during early voting periods and on Election Day, rather than being assigned to a specific precinct polling place.

Election records that are public in California include voter registration lists (available to candidates, political parties, and committees for election purposes, with some personal information redacted), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political action committees (searchable through county and state databases), candidate statements and declarations, precinct-level and vote center-level election results, and historical election data. The County Elections website publishes unofficial results on election night and certified results after the official canvass.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Santa Cruz County reported approximately 65-68% voter turnout, reflecting strong civic engagement typical of the county's politically active electorate. Santa Cruz County consistently shows high participation rates in presidential and statewide elections.

On November 3, 2026, Capitola and Santa Cruz County voters will decide numerous important races. At the federal level, California's U.S. Senate seat (Class III) is not up in 2026, but all 52 California U.S. House seats will be contested; Capitola is located in California's 18th Congressional District. At the state level, 2026 is a gubernatorial election year, with races for California Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction all on the ballot. California State Senate and Assembly seats will also be contested based on district election cycles. At the county level, Santa Cruz County offices potentially on the ballot include County Supervisor districts (elected by district to four-year terms), Sheriff, District Attorney, Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder, and Treasurer-Tax Collector, depending on term expiration schedules. Capitola City Council seats will also be contested in November 2026. Judicial seats for Santa Cruz County Superior Court may appear if vacancies occur or judges face retention.

California is a universal vote-by-mail state: all registered voters automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot before each election, mailed to their registered address approximately 29 days before Election Day. Voters may complete and return the ballot by mail (postmarked by Election Day), drop it in an official ballot drop box (by 8:00 PM on Election Day), return it to any vote center in the county, or choose to vote in person at a vote center instead. Vote centers open for early voting beginning several days before Election Day. No excuse or justification is required for mail-in voting in California. Voters can track their ballot status online through the state's "Where's My Ballot?" system at www.wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.